Robert Ernest Noble

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Robert E. Noble
Black and white photo of Robert E. Noble as a brigadier general, head and shoulders, looking left
From the February 1923 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Medicine
Born(1870-11-05)November 5, 1870
Rome, Georgia. U.S.
DiedSeptember 18, 1956(1956-09-18) (aged 85)
Fort McClellan, Alabama
Buried
Hillside Cemetery, Anniston, Alabama
AllegianceUnited States
BranchUnited States Army
Years of service1901–1925
RankMajor General
Service number0–51[1]
UnitUnited States Army Medical Corps
Commands heldChief Surgeon, Base Section Number 2 (Bordeaux, France)
Chief Surgeon, Base Section Number 5 (Brest, France)
Library of the Surgeon General's Office
WarsPhilippine–American War
United States occupation of Veracruz
World War I
Occupation of the Rhineland
AwardsArmy Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Honor (Commander) (France)
Alma materAlabama Polytechnic Institute (B.S, M.S.)
College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York City (M.D.)
Spouse(s)Ella Lupton (m. 1905–1956, his death)
RelationsNathaniel Thomas Lupton (Father-in-law)
Joseph Spencer (Great-great-great-grandfather)

Robert E. Noble (November 5, 1870 – September 18, 1956) was an American physician and a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Philippine–American War, United States occupation of Veracruz, World War I, and the Occupation of the Rhineland, he attained the rank of major general and was a recipient of the Army Distinguished Service Medal and French Legion of Honor (Commander).

A native of Rome, Georgia, Noble graduated from Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University) with a Bachelor of Science in 1890 and a Master of Science in 1891. After working as the assistant state chemist for the states of Alabama and North Carolina from 1890 to 1895, he decided to attend the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York City, and he graduated with an M.D. degree in 1899. He was an intern at the New York City hospital on Randalls Island from 1899 to 1900, then a house surgeon at hospitals in New York City and New Jersey, after which he began a career in the U.S. Army.

Noble entered the army as a contract surgeon and served from 1900 to 1901, when he obtained his commission as a first lieutenant in the Medical Corps. He served in the Philippines from 1900 to 1903, gaining his initial military experience during the Philippine–American War. From 1907 to 1914, he was assigned to the Isthmian Canal Commission, where he worked with William C. Gorgas on an anti-mosquito campaign to eliminate yellow fever and malaria during construction of the Panama Canal.

In 1914, Noble served with U.S. forces during the occupation of Veracruz, after which he performed staff duty in the office of the Surgeon General of the United States Army. During World War I, he was promoted to temporary brigadier general and temporary major general, and was assigned to senior Medical Corps positions, including Chief Surgeon of Base Section Number 2 in Bordeaux and Base Section Number 5 in Brest.

In 1920, Noble served on the Rockefeller Foundation commission that traveled to South Africa to investigate the causes of diseases including pneumonia. Noble was in charge of the Library of the Surgeon General's Office from 1920 to 1925. He retired in 1925, and resided in Anniston, Alabama. Noble died in Anniston on September 18, 1956. He was buried at Hillside Cemetery in Anniston.

Early life[edit]

Robert Ernest Noble was born in Rome, Georgia on November 5, 1870.[2] His mother was Lucy Bomer Wadsworth and his father George Noble was an iron manufacturer and Confederate States Army veteran of the American Civil War who served under Josiah Gorgas.[3][4] He was educated in private schools in Rome and Anniston, Alabama, then began attendance at Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University), from which he received his B.S. degree in 1890 and his M.S. in 1891.[5] Beginning in 1890, he worked as Alabama's assistant state chemist, then held a similar position in North Carolina.[5]

In 1895, Noble began attendance at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, from which he graduated with an M.D. degree in 1899.[5] From 1899 to 1900 he served his internship at New York City's Randalls Island Municipal Hospital, then as house surgeon at the Infants Hospital on Randalls Island and St. Mary Hospital in Hoboken, New Jersey.[6]

Start of career[edit]

In September 1900, Noble was hired by the United States Army as a contract surgeon and assigned to duty in the Philippines.[5] In June 1901, he received his commission as a first lieutenant in the Medical Corps.[7] He continued to serve in the Philippines during the Philippine–American War.[8]

After returning to the United States, Noble became a student at the Army Medical School.[9] He was an honor graduate of his class,[10] then carried out surgeons postings, initially at Washington Barracks,[11] then at Fort Sheridan, Illinois,[12] and later at Fort McDowell, California[13] and Fort Casey, Washington.[14] In November 1905, he married Ella Lupton of Nashville, Tennessee, the daughter of Nathaniel Thomas Lupton.[15] They remained married until his death[16] and had no children.[17] He was promoted to captain in June 1906.[5]

Continued career[edit]

From 1907 to 1914, Noble served in Panama while assigned to the Isthmian Canal Commission.[5] In this role he aided William C. Gorgas in planning and carrying out an anti-mosquito campaign to reduce the deaths and illness caused by malaria and yellow fever during construction of the Panama Canal.[5] In January 1910, he received promotion to Major.[5] During late 1911 and early 1912, Noble performed temporary duty in Ecuador, where he studied yellow fever and other diseases, and he performed similar temporary duty in Puerto Rico in 1912 and 1913.[5] From 1913 to 1914, he was temporarily assigned to duty in South Africa, where he studied causes and treatments of pneumonia and other diseases.[18] Noble was assigned to U.S. forces operating in Mexico during the occupation of Veracruz from May to September 1914.[5]

Later career[edit]

Colonels Robert E. Noble (right) and W. H. Smith (left), 1918

From 1914 to 1917, Noble performed staff duty at the United States Department of War.[8] He was promoted to colonel in January 1918.[8] He served in France during World War I as assistant surgeon general of the American Expeditionary Forces, and was promoted to temporary brigadier general in May 1918.[8] He was promoted to temporary major general in October 1918, and served as Chief Surgeon of Base Section Number 2 in Bordeaux, followed by assignment as commander of Base Section Number 5 in Brest.[8]

Noble remained in Germany after the war as part of the Occupation of the Rhineland, and he returned to the United States in August 1919.[8] His wartime service was recognized with Army Distinguished Service Medal and French Legion of Honor (Commander).[8] The citation for his Army DSM reads:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Major General Robert Ernest Noble, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. General Noble had immediate charge of the Personnel Division of the Surgeon General's Office and solved the problem of getting medical officers into the Army during an increase from 1,500 at the beginning of the war to 30,000. He also had charge of the Hospital Division of the Surgeon General's Office, handling both of these large responsibilities with conspicuous success.[19]

In 1920, Noble was appointed to the Rockefeller Foundation commission that visited South Africa, where they investigated the causes and treatments of pneumonia and other diseases.[8] Noble was director of the Library of the Surgeon General's Office from 1920 to 1925.[8] He retired in 1925.[20]

Retirement and death[edit]

The Library and Museum of the Surgeon General's Office operated from this building on Washington, D.C.'s National Mall from 1887 until 1956. It was razed in 1969.

During his retirement, Noble resided in Anniston, Alabama and was active in civic and charitable organizations.[8] He was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, American Medical Association and American Public Health Association.[8] In addition, he was a member of the General Society of Colonial Wars and Society of the Cincinnati.[8][a] Noble became involved in politics as a Republican, and supported Dwight Eisenhower for president in 1952.[22]

Noble was an organizer of the Boy Scouts of America in Alabama, and served as president of the organization's Choccolocco Council for seventeen years.[23] In addition, he was a longtime member of the Anniston National Bank's board of directors.[24]

Noble died at the Fort McClellan military hospital on September 18, 1956.[25] He was buried at Hillside Cemetery in Anniston.[26]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Noble was a hereditary member of the Cincinnati as the great-great-great-grandson of Major General Joseph Spencer.[21]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Davis, Henry Blaine Jr. (1998). Generals in Khaki. Raleigh, NC: Pentland Press. p. 282. ISBN 978-1-5719-7088-6 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Hobson, Sarah, ed. (December 1918). "Biographical Summary, Robert E. Noble". Journal of the American Institute of Homœopathy. Chicago, IL: American Institute of Homeopathy. p. 591 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ Owen, Thomas McAdory (1922). History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography. Vol. IV. Chicago, IL: S. J. Clarke. pp. 1283–1284 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Battey, George Magruder Jr. (1922). A History of Rome and Floyd County, State of Georgia, United States of America. Vol. I. Atlanta, GA: Webb and Vary. p. 242 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Hobson, p. 591.
  6. ^ Mills, Walter Sands (1900). History of the First Twenty-five Years of the Ward's Island and Metropolitan Hospital, 1875–1900. New York, NY: Rooney & Otten. p. 110 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ Tierney, John L., ed. (January 1925). "Major General Robert E. Noble, U.S. Army". The Chicago Medical Recorder. Chicago, IL: Medical Recorder Publishing Company. p. 26 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Tierney, p. 26.
  9. ^ "Ordered to Report: Assistant Surgeons to Take Course at Army Medical School". The Evening Star. Washington, DC. October 15, 1903. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Brigadier-General Noble". The Chicago Medical Recorder. Chicago, IL: Medical Recorder Publishing Company. November 15, 1918. p. 461 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ "Assigned to Stations". The Evening Star. Washington, DC. March 31, 1904. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ The Evening Star 1903, p. 2.
  13. ^ "Wedding Announcement, Noble–Lupton". Nashville Banner. Nashville, TN. November 18, 1905. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Army Orders". The Washington Post. Washington, DC. November 17, 1905. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Nashville Banner, p. 3.
  16. ^ "Mrs. R. Noble Dies At Home". The Anniston Star. Anniston, AL. August 12, 1959. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ The Alabama Journal of Medical Sciences. Vol. 7. Birmingham, AL: University of Alabama in Birmingham. 1964. p. 353 – via Google Books.
  18. ^ Virkus, Frederick A., ed. (1925). The Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy. Vol. 1. Chicago, IL: A. N. Marquis & Company. p. 745 – via Google Books.
  19. ^ "Valor awards for Robert Ernest Noble". Military Times.
  20. ^ "General R. E. Noble Retires to Return to Anniston Home". The Anniston Star. Anniston, AL. United Press. February 9, 1925. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ Roster of the Society of the Cincinnati. Washington, DC: Society of the Cincinnati. 1959. p. 90 – via Google Books.
  22. ^ "GOP of County Endorses Ike for President". The Anniston Star. Anniston, AL. May 6, 1952. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "To Honor General Robert E. Noble". Fort Payne Journal. Fort Payne, AL. November 3, 1943. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Bank Reports On Large Gains". The Anniston Star. Anniston, AL. January 11, 1950. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ Hall, Cody (September 19, 1956). "Gen. Noble Passes at 85 In Hospital". The Anniston Star. Anniston, AL. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Services Will be Held Today for Gen. Noble". Birmingham Post-Herald. Birmingham, AL. United Press. September 20, 1956. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.

External links[edit]

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